HAYS, Kansas (KWCH) – Campbell Children’s Psychiatric Hospital will open in Hays in late February to meet a demand for services that has not been seen in western Kansas in more than three years.
Sara Berens, executive director of Campbell Children’s Mental Health Hospital, said: “We are pleased to restore acute care beds for those with acute mental health disorders or those serious events that bring people to the emergency room, which typically require hospitalization5 to 7 days.”
Previously, families had to drive to Wichita, Kansas City, or even out of state to receive care for acute mental illness.
“We’re excited to bring the location closer to West Kansas,” Behrens said.
With the new facility in Hays, Camber will be able to provide acute care and expand the number of patients it can serve.
“The whole of western Kansas, that’s our main goal,” Behrens said. “However, we will keep our doors open to anyone in need across the state.”
The center will also focus on long-term cases. Behrens said she doesn’t want people entering the hospital to feel like patients.
“What sets us apart is our trauma-informed care,” she said. “We’re really collaborative in our environment and really committed to the whole part. You’re more than the drug you take. You’re more than the experience you’ve been through.”
Instead, Behrens said she wants the children treated at the facility to feel at home.
“(We care. We have a large number of paramedics, physiotherapists, doctors, therapists and direct care staff available 24 hours a day for them,” she said.
The goal is to get kids the help they really need.
“We want to be a beacon of hope. We want to be a place where they can land and heal,” Behrens said.
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